George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga features a large cast of characters. The series follows three interwoven plotlines: a dynastic war for control of Westeros by several families; the rising threat of the Others beyond the northern border of Westeros; and the ambition of Daenerys Targaryen, the exiled heir of the previous ruling dynasty. In Martin's fictional world, the Great Houses of Westeros represent the Seven Kingdoms which exist on the continent: the North, the Iron Islands, the Vale of Arryn, the Westerlands, the Stormlands, the Reach, and Dorne. A massive wall of ice and old magic separates the Seven Kingdoms from the largely unmapped area in the most northern portion of the continent.
Each chapter is narrated in the third-person limited point of view through the eyes of a single character. Beginning with nine POV characters in A Game of Thrones (1996), a total of thirty-one such characters have narrated over the course of the first five volumes of the series.
Contents
House Stark
House Stark is described as one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and the principal house of the North. Its seat is at Winterfell, one of the oldest castles in the Seven Kingdoms. Its coat of arms displays a grey direwolf running on a white field, and its words are Winter is Coming. Bastards born in the North are given the surname "Snow". House Stark had ruled as the Kings in the North for thousands of years until House Targaryen conquered Westeros, whereafter the Starks were known as the Lords of Winterfell and Wardens of the North. For prizing honor and devotion to duty, House Stark is the closest of the noble houses to heroism.
Descended from Bran the Builder, the architect of the Wall, House Stark is the chief First Men dynasty in Westeros due to their successful repulsion of the Andal invasion and became the ruling house in the North after defeating the Barrow Kings and slowly uniting the North into one kingdom, contesting for dominance with House Bolton of the Dreadfort, the second-most powerful Northern house with a sinister reputation for their flaying tradition. Their expanding dominion would also repel incursions of pirates and raiders, and secure control of the Neck through their vassals of House Reed. They would also gain a new vassal from the Reach after House Manderly was exiled, granting them White Harbor in exchange for protection against piracy.
House Stark would ultimately unite the North and drive the ironborn away, making enemies with House Hoare and a new vassal in House Mormont of Bear Island, just as the Andals arrived in Westeros and began conquering every kingdom the First Men had built and converting them to the Faith of the Seven. The Starks made peace with the Boltons and finally unified the North and began opposing the Andals as one force instead of individually like the rest of the First Men, sacking Andalos and driving them back from the fortress of Moat Cailin. They would lose their strength at sea after a failed voyage across the Sunset Sea ended in all their ships being torched. House Stark would also aid the Night's Watch several times against wildling raids, defeating many Kings-beyond-the-Wall, and forming a second branch, called House Karstark.
During Aegon's conquest of Westeros, the Starks intended to oppose the Targaryens, unwilling to bow to an outsider, but King Torrhen Stark knelt after hearing of the scorching of Harrenhal and the devastating outcome of the Field of Fire caused by the Targaryen dragons, becoming the first Warden of the North, and had a marriage alliance with House Arryn to keep the realm together.
Family
Eddard "Ned" Stark is the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North, and briefly serves as Hand of the King to Robert Baratheon. He is executed, by Joffrey's order, on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor. He serves as a POV character for 15 chapters in A Game of Thrones.
Catelyn Stark is the Lady of Winterfell, wife of Lord Eddard Stark, and mother to his children Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. She is the daughter of Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun; niece to Ser Brynden Tully (also known as the legendary "Blackfish") and sister to Lysa Arryn of the Vale and to Edmure Tully. She is murdered during the Red Wedding, and later resurrected as an undead, vengeful killer under the name of Lady Stoneheart. She serves as a POV character for 25 chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords.
Robb Stark is the oldest child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark, and the heir to Winterfell. He is not a POV character, but he appears in the POV chapters of his family members in the first three novels of the series. After his father's arrest and execution, Robb rebels against the Crown and seeks to secede the North from the Seven Kingdoms. Robb is also slain at The Red Wedding along with his mother.
Sansa Stark is the second child and elder daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She serves as a POV character for 24 chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Feast for Crows. Sansa is introduced as beautiful and demure.
Arya Stark is the third child and younger daughter of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. She serves as a POV character for 33 chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. She is the only character to appear in all 5 books as a POV character.
Brandon "Bran" Stark is the second son and fourth child of Eddard and Catelyn Stark. He serves as the third-person narrator of twenty-one chapters throughout A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance with Dragons. In A Game of Thrones, he sees Queen Cersei and her brother Jaime Lannister committing incest, and Jaime pushes Bran from the window to keep the relationship secret. Bran survives, but loses the use of his legs. While comatose, Bran dreams of a three-eyed raven. Slowly, he develops the ability to assume his wolf Summer's consciousness, making him a warg or skinchanger. After his older brother Robb is crowned King in the North, Bran becomes Robb's heir and the acting Lord of Winterfell. In A Clash of Kings, Jojen Reed teaches Bran how to use his telepathy correctly, and directs him beyond the Wall. In A Dance with Dragons, Bran meets the Three-Eyed-Raven: an alias of the last trained clairvoyant.
Servants and vassals
Lord Roose Bolton is a significant vassal of Lord Eddard Stark. His seat is the Dreadfort and his sigil is a flayed human, a homage to the ancient Bolton tradition of flaying enemies. He is nicknamed "the Leech Lord" for regular leechings meant to improve his health. He initially joins Robb Stark's rebellion but later becomes disillusioned when it becomes clear the Starks are losing. This leads him to contact Tywin Lannister and arrange with Walder Frey to betray Robb. At the Red Wedding, Roose personally kills Robb, and is later named Warden of the North by Tywin.
Ramsay Snow is the bastard son of Lord Roose Bolton, later legitimized as Ramsay Bolton. He is known as the Bastard of Bolton or the Bastard of the Dreadfort. Ramsay is vicious, ruthless, psychopathic, sadistic, opportunistic, unpredictable, and fearless. He takes great pleasure and pride in torturing others and enthusiastically practices the Bolton custom of flaying their enemies. Roose suspects that Ramsay murdered Roose's legitimate heir and expects that Ramsay will kill all of Roose's future children. He is described as ugly, with blotchy skin and dry, dark hair.
Rickard Karstark is the Lord of Karhold and one of the main Stark vassals. During the Battle of the Whispering Wood, Jaime Lannister kills two of his sons, who were guarding Robb Stark. When Catelyn helps Jaime escape in an attempt to recover her daughters, Rickard murders two of Jaime's cousins and has his army desert Robb to search the Riverlands for Jaime, offering his daughter Alys Karstark to whoever brings him the Kingslayer. Due to this, Robb executes Rickard personally.
Alys Karstark is the only daughter and youngest child of Lord Rickard Karstark. She is betrothed to Daryn Hornwood, heir to the Hornwood, but Jaime Lannister kills him alongside two of her brothers. Her father offers her to whoever captures Jaime Lannister, so the sadistic sellsword Vargo Hoat captures Jaime in the hope of becoming Lord of Karhold. However, after Rickard's death, his uncle, Arnolf Karstark, plots to take control of Karhold. He declares for Stannis when he comes North in the hope this will mean the Lannisters execute his great-nephew Harrion Karstark, so Karhold will pass to Alys, whom Arnolf intends to force into marriage with his son Cregan Karstark. Arnolf also intends to betray Stannis when the Boltons attack. However, Alys (pursued by Cregan) flees to the Wall seeking Jon Snow's help and reveals her uncles' plans. To protect her, Jon imprisons Cregan and arranges for Alys to marry the Wildling leader Sigorn, Magnar of Thenn, in a ceremony performed by Melisandre, which will aid Wildling integration into the North. If Harrion dies childless, Karhold will pass to the newly formed House Thenn.
House Targaryen
In Martin's fictional universe, House Targaryen ruled the Seven Kingdoms for nearly 300 years. Seventeen Targaryen kings held royal court in King's Landing. Its coat of arms shows a red, three-headed, two-legged dragon breathing fire on a black field, and its words are Fire and Blood. The Targaryen dynasty ended with the death of Aerys II, known as the Mad King, during Robert's Rebellion, which overthrew the Targaryens and placed House Baratheon on the throne. Aerys II's two surviving children, Viserys and Daenerys, fled into exile in the Free Cities of Essos.
The Targaryens originally came from Valyria on the continent of Essos, one of forty Dragonlord families in the Valyrian Freehold, but not the most powerful. Before Valyria was destroyed, the Targaryens left for Dragonstone, the westernmost outpost of their empire, due to a dream of one of their ancestors, Daenys Targaryen, also known as Daenys "The Dreamer". A century after the Valyrian "Doom", Aegon I Targaryen was approached by an alliance of some of the Free Cities against Volantis, Valyria's oldest colony, who sought to rebuild the Freehold under their rule, which Aegon consented to before defeating Volantis with his dragon, Balerion. With the Valyrian Freehold broken, Aegon turned west towards Westeros, intent on uniting the Seven Kingdoms under one ruler, with Dragonstone being the perfect staging point for his conquest, due to having deep waters for his fleet and being within range of the continent. With the aid of his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya, the Targaryens, using their three dragons, successfully conquered six of the Seven Kingdoms by destroying defiant houses and making subjects of submissive ones, with the seventh one peacefully joining the realm through marriage. Aegon built the Iron Throne with his enemies' swords and his dragon's flame, building the Red Keep as his seat and King's Landing as his new capital.
The Targaryen dragons were the last known to exist and died out long before the events of A Game of Thrones. People of Targaryen ancestry, referred to as "blood of the dragon", tend to have silver-blonde hair and amethyst eyes.
Fifteen years before the events of the series, the Targaryens were deposed in Robert's Rebellion, with the last two fleeing to Essos.
Family
Aegon Targaryen, nicknamed "Egg" in his youth, is one of the two main characters in the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas. He is played by English child actor Dexter Sol Ansell in the 2026 HBO television adaptation A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
When Aegon was a child, his father, Prince Maekar, reluctantly allowed him to serve as squire to the lowborn hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall, hoping that the lessons learned through humble service and hard experience would help him avoid the mistakes of his royal brothers. He was later crowned King Aegon V when a Great Council bypassed the inheritance of his two oldest brothers, and after his third older brother Aemon chose to abdicate by joining the Night's Watch as a maester. He was called "Aegon the Unlikely" because, as the fourth son of a fourth son, he was placed very low in the line of succession and was therefore seen as unlikely to inherit the Iron Throne.
Aegon V's reign lasted more than 25 years, during which he tried to push policies more favorable to the interests of common people, and frequently clashed with noble lords as a result. He later perished in the Tragedy of Summerhall, a huge fire at the Targaryen summer palace, along with his son Prince Duncan and close friend Ser Duncan the Tall. After he died, his second son Jaehaerys inherited the throne as King Jaehaerys II. King Jaehaerys died three years later, and the Iron Throne was passed to his son Aerys, later also known as the Mad King.
Through Jaehaerys II and Aerys II, Aegon V is the great-grandfather to Rhaegar, Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen. He is also the great-grandfather to Robert, Stannis and Renly Baratheon through his daughter Rhaelle, who married into House Baratheon and gave birth to the Baratheon brothers' father Steffon. This grandmaternal descent from Aegon V later became the basis of Robert Baratheon's legitimacy in claiming the Iron Throne after rebelling against Aerys II.
Aerys II Targaryen, also nicknamed "The Mad King", is the last Targaryen king to rule the Seven Kingdoms. While his rule started well under the supportive counsel of his first cousin Steffon Baratheon and childhood friend Tywin Lannister, he slowly deteriorated into paranoia and madness after the accidental death of Steffon and the bitter falling-out with Tywin, whose wife Joanna was subjected to lewd harassment by Aerys. His much-abused sister-wife Queen Rhaella bore him eight children, but only three survived into adulthood: sons Rhaegar and Viserys and daughter Daenerys, the last of whom was not yet born when the Targaryen dynasty fell.
Servants and vassals
Lord Jon Connington is the exiled Lord of Griffin's Roost and was a close friend of Rhaegar Targaryen. Jon serves as a third-person narrator for two chapters in A Dance with Dragons. Fifteen years before the events of the series, King Aerys II made Jon his Hand of the King. However, Jon also failed to contain the rebellion. Aerys stripped him of his lands and titles, giving them to Jon's cousin Ronald Connington, and exiled him. Biding his time in Essos, he raises Young Griff, supposedly Rhaegar's son Aegon. Jon and Aegon eventually decide to attack Westeros while it is embroiled in civil war. During the return trip, Connington contracts Greyscale Plague when saving Tyrion. The group lands in the Stormlands and captures several castles, including Griffin's Roost. Aegon plans to lead the attack on Storm's End, the next target.
Ser Jorah Mormont is the exiled Lord of Bear Island in the North, which he inherited after his father Jeor Mormont joined the Night's Watch. His wife's lavish lifestyle led to debts, which led Jorah to engage in selling slaves. Escaping justice, he fled to Essos and eventually joined the service of Daenerys Targaryen, becoming one of her chief advisors.
Missandei is a slave interpreter for Kraznys mo Nakloz when Daenerys Targaryen comes to inspect the Unsullied in Astapor. After Daenerys strikes a bargain with the Good Masters of Astapor concerning payment for the Unsullied, Kraznys gives Missandei to Daenerys as an interpreter to give them commands. Afterwards, she becomes a trusted confidante and handmaiden to Daenerys.
Daario Naharis is a leader in the Stormcrows mercenary company. Daario is won over by Daenerys and brings the Stormcrows over to her side. He becomes romantically involved with her, eventually becoming one of her advisors.
Grey Worm ("Torgo Nudho" in High Valyrian) is an Unsullied purchased by and sworn to Daenerys Targaryen. He is the commander of Daenerys's Unsullied and one of her trusted advisors. After Daenerys flees Meereen, Grey Worm becomes a member of the ruling council of the city.
House Lannister
House Lannister is the main antagonistic faction and one of the Major Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and the principal house of the Westerlands. Its seat is at Casterly Rock, and they are also given the title Wardens of the West. Its coat of arms displays a golden lion rampant on a crimson field, and its words are "Hear Me Roar!"
The Lannisters began as a First Men dynasty descended from the legendary trickster Lann the Clever, who swindled their traditional seat of Casterly Rock of House Casterly, ruling the Westerlands as Kings of the Rock ever since. They also branched into the nearby city of Lannisport and gained the Reynes of Castamere as a vassal after defeating the Hooded King. The Lannisters would become an Andal bloodline, under a First Man name after the Andal invasion, where they made alliances through marriages and wards. Like many Houses, the Lannisters kept a Valyrian steel blade as an ancestral heirloom, naming it Brightroar, which was lost after King Tommen II Lannister left for Valyria with it and never returned. The Lannisters would stand with House Gardener against House Targaryen's conquest of Westeros, only to subject their combined armies to annihilation in the Field of Fire, after which King Loren Lannister surrendered, and the Lannisters became the Wardens of the West.
Family
Tywin Lannister is Lord of Casterly Rock, Shield of Lannisport, and Warden of the West. He is a calculating, ruthless, and controlling man. In his youth, he witnessed his father grow old and weak. Eventually, several nobles revolted against Lannister rule. Disgusted with his father's inaction, Tywin personally led the Lannister army and utterly destroyed the rebellious vassals, placing the bodies of their entire families on display at Casterly Rock. Impressed with his decisive actions in putting down the rebellion, Aerys II Targaryen appointed the young Tywin Hand of the King. Tywin proved himself a ruthless but capable leader, and his tenure was marked by peace and prosperity.
Cersei Lannister is the twin sister of Jaime (the elder of the two) and the only daughter of Tywin Lannister. She serves as the third-person narrator of twelve chapters in A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. She became queen by marrying Robert Baratheon. She has three children (all of whom are in actuality fathered by her twin brother).
Jaime Lannister is the twin brother of Cersei and the first son of Tywin Lannister. He serves as the third-person narrator of seventeen chapters throughout A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. He was widely considered one of the best swordsmen in all the Seven Kingdoms before having his right hand chopped off by Vargo Hoat.
Tyrion Lannister is the younger brother of Cersei and Jaime Lannister, and serves as a third-person narrator for 47 chapters in A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Dance with Dragons. He is the narrator with the most chapters in the books.
Joffrey Baratheon is the eldest of Queen Cersei Lannister's children. Though a Baratheon in name, Joffrey is actually a product of incest between Cersei and Jaime Lannister, but unaware of his true parentage. He is described as a strong-willed child with a vicious temper and a sadistic streak.
Princess Myrcella Baratheon is the second-oldest child and only daughter of Queen Cersei Lannister. Like her brothers, she was fathered by Cersei's twin brother Jaime Lannister, but she is ostensibly unaware of this. She is described as delicate, beautiful and courteous, and is said to have all her mother's beauty but none of her cruel nature. To ensure that House Martell will support Joffrey, Myrcella is betrothed to marry Prince Trystane Martell when they come of age and is sent to Dorne in A Clash of Kings. After Joffrey died in A Storm of Swords, Princess Arianne Martell schemes to kidnap Myrcella and crown her queen of Westeros. The plan goes awry, however, and Myrcella is severely injured in the kidnapping.
Servants and vassals
Bronn is a skilled sellsword of low birth. He is described as having a sardonic sense of humor and a pragmatic, amoral philosophy. He helps Catelyn take Tyrion to the Eyrie, where he befriends Tyrion. Recognizing he will gain more helping House Lannister, Bronn offers to champion for Tyrion in a trial by combat, wins the duel, and then serves as his bodyguard in King's Landing. After fighting in the Battle of Blackwater, he is knighted and takes a burning green chain as his sigil, though he continues to serve Tyrion. During Tyrion's trial for murdering Joffrey, Bronn refuses to champion for him again, instead taking an offer from Cersei to be married to the pregnant Lollys Stokeworth. When his wife gives birth, he names his stepson Tyrion in dubious honor of his former employer. Shortly afterwards, Bronn becomes the head of House Stokeworth after all members ahead of Lollys die under mysterious circumstances. Cersei also worries that he is still in league with Tyrion.
Ser Gregor Clegane, known as "the Mountain That Rides," or simply "the Mountain," is the older brother of Sandor Clegane and is a vassal to Tywin Lannister. His size and strength make him a fearsome warrior, and he has earned a reputation for brutality.
Sandor Clegane, known as "the Hound," is a retainer to House Lannister and the younger brother of Gregor Clegane. He is regarded as one of the most dangerous and skilled fighters in Westeros. His face is distinguished by gruesome burn scars, which he received as a child when his brother pushed his head into a brazier.
Podrick Payne, Pod for short, is a squire to Tyrion Lannister toward the end of A Game of Thrones. Despite being painfully shy and insecure, he proves himself to be a loyal and capable squire. In A Clash of Kings, he rescues Tyrion from an assassination attempt. He continues his duties through A Storm of Swords until Tyrion vanishes in A Feast for Crows. He follows Brienne of Tarth, knowing that she was searching for Tyrion's wife Sansa Stark. He becomes Brienne's squire and serves her as faithfully as he did Tyrion. He and Brienne are captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners, and Podrick is sentenced to be hanged for serving as Tyrion's squire. His fate is currently unknown.
Shae is a Lannister camp follower who sleeps with Tyrion Lannister before the battle on the Green Fork. She accompanies him to King's Landing, against Tywin's orders, and serves as his mistress. To prevent discovery, Shae is set up as a handmaiden by Tyrion and Varys, serving Lollys Stokeworth and later Sansa Stark. During the trial accusing Tyrion of murdering Joffrey, Shae gives evidence testimony against him, flaunting their relationship to the court, in exchange for being wed to a knight. She is later found in Tywin's bed by Tyrion and strangled to death with the Hand's Chain.
House Baratheon
In the book series, House Baratheon is the youngest of the great houses of the Seven Kingdoms and the principal house of The Stormlands. It was founded by Orys, the supposed bastard half-brother of the first Targaryen king. Under Robert, House Baratheon usurped the Iron Throne in King's Landing, with his younger brothers Stannis and Renly ruling Dragonstone and the ancestral seat Storm's End, respectively. The Baratheon coat of arms displays a black stag on a field of gold; a crown was added after Robert Baratheon took the Iron Throne. The house motto is Ours is the Fury. Acknowledged bastards born in the Stormlands are generally given the surname "Storm".
Family
Robert Baratheon "The Usurper" is King of the Seven Kingdoms at the beginning of A Game of Thrones. He was the ward of Jon Arryn and was raised at the Eyrie alongside Eddard Stark. Fifteen years before the novels, Robert was betrothed to Ned's sister Lyanna, and after Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen disappeared, Robert killed Rhaegar and seized the throne.
Stannis Baratheon is the younger brother of King Robert and older brother of Renly. He is portrayed as a brooding and humorless man with a harsh sense of justice and an obsession with slights both real and imagined. He is regarded as a skilled but overcautious military commander.
Renly Baratheon is the youngest of the Baratheon brothers and Lord of Storm's End. He is described as handsome and charismatic, winning friends easily. Renly serves on Robert's council as Master of Laws.
Selyse Baratheon (née Florent) is married to Stannis and mother of Shireen. She is described as being fairly unattractive with extremely prominent ears and a hint of a mustache on her upper lip. Selyse has a cold relationship with her husband. She is the first of her family to be converted to the religion of the Red God by Melisandre.
Shireen Baratheon is the only living child and heir presumptive of Stannis Baratheon and his wife Selyse Florent. She contracted the lethal greyscale disease as a child, disfiguring her by leaving the left side of her cheek and most of her neck covered by grey, cracked, stone-like skin.
Gendry is one of Robert Baratheon's many bastard children. He lives in King's Landing as an armorer's apprentice and is unaware of his true parentage. Gendry later joins the Brotherhood without Banners.
Edric Storm is Robert Baratheon's only acknowledged bastard. He was conceived on Stannis and Selyse's wedding night, when Robert seduced and deflowered Delena Florent, one of Selyse's cousins, in Stannis's marriage bed. Edric was sent by Stannis to be fostered by his other uncle, Renly Baratheon. Edric was raised under the guardianship of Storm's End Castellan Ser Cortnay Penrose. After Renly dies, Cortnay refuses to surrender Storm's End, fearing Stannis's intentions for Edric; as a result, he is assassinated by Melisandre. Stannis then sends Edric to Dragonstone. Melisandre and Selyse tell Stannis to sacrifice Edric, claiming his king's blood will enable them to raise a dragon. To prevent this, Davos sends Edric to Lys under the guardianship of one of Robert's cousins, Andrew Estermont.
Servants and vassals
Melisandre of Asshai is a priestess of R'hllor in service to Stannis Baratheon. She is introduced in A Clash of Kings and serves as the third-person narrator for one chapter of A Dance with Dragons. She is described as a beautiful woman with red eyes, always dressing in red and rarely sleeping or eating.
Ser Davos Seaworth, called the Onion Knight after smuggling onions and salted fish into Storms End during Robert's Rebellion, is the common-born head of the newly founded House Seaworth and was formerly known as an elusive smuggler. He is introduced in A Clash of Kings and is the third-person narrator for thirteen chapters throughout A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, and A Dance with Dragons. During the Siege of Storm's End, Davos smuggled food to the starving Stannis Baratheon, earning him a knighthood and choice lands. Before knighting him, Stannis removed the last joints from four fingers on Davos's left hand as punishment for years of smuggling.
In A Clash of Kings, he supports Stannis's claim to the throne, making him Stannis's most trusted adviser, but Davos is a follower of the Faith of the Seven and opposes Melisandre. During the Battle of the Blackwater, his ship is destroyed, but Davos survives, losing four sons. He blames Melisandre for the deaths of his sons and plans to kill her, but she receives word of the plot and he is jailed. Stannis eventually pardons Davos and names him his Hand of the King. As Hand, Davos convinces Stannis to help the Watch against the wildling army.
After Stannis sails to the Wall, he tasks Davos with enlisting the support of House Manderly, but Davos is taken prisoner. After staging Davos's death, Manderly asks Davos to rescue Rickon Stark from Skagos in exchange for House Manderly's support for Stannis. His fate is unknown.
Brienne, the Maid of Tarth, serves as a POV narrator for eight chapters in the fourth book of the series, A Feast for Crows. A tall, imposing, but extremely plain woman, she is mocked by many as "Brienne the Beauty". She is a maiden on a quest.
Beric Dondarrion is a gallant knight with great fighting skill. In A Game of Thrones, Eddard Stark sends him to arrest Gregor Clegane and bring peace to the Riverlands. He is ambushed and killed by Lannister forces. Thoros of Myr accidentally revives him with magic during the funeral service. By A Storm of Swords, he and his men have formed an outlaw band called the Brotherhood Without Banners. The Brotherhood starts a guerrilla war against raiders in the Riverlands. The success of these ambushes earns him the nickname the Lightning Lord, also a reference to his coat of arms. He is killed several other times, only to be brought back to life. These resurrections lead him to lose part of the memories related to his previous life every time. In the third book, he and his men find the corpse of Catelyn Stark. He resurrects her with the last of his life force and dies for the final time.
House Arryn
House Arryn is described as one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the principal house in the Vale. It is descended from the Kings of Mountain and Vale. Its main seat is at the Eyrie, a small castle atop a mountain and reputed to be impregnable, where they are the Wardens of the East. Its coat of arms displays a white moon-and-falcon on a sky blue field, and its words are As High as Honor. Bastards born in the Vale are generally given the surname "Stone".
Jon Arryn was the head of the Arryn family until he was poisoned shortly before A Game of Thrones. His only child, Robert "Sweetrobin" Arryn, became Lord of the Vale with Lysa Tully acting as regent.
Family
Jon Arryn was the Lord of the Eyrie, Defender of the Vale, Warden of the East, and Hand to King Robert Baratheon before the events of A Game of Thrones. He took Robert and Eddard Stark as wards and became a father figure to both. When King Aerys II Targaryen commanded him to hand over his wards for execution, Jon rose in rebellion. To earn the support of House Tully in the rebellion, Jon married the much younger Lysa Tully. Throughout Robert's reign, Jon was left with most of the responsibility of the Seven Kingdoms. When Stannis Baratheon had doubts about the parentage of Queen Cersei Lannister's children, he brought his suspicions to Jon, who confirmed that Robert did not father Cersei's children, who were actually fathered by her brother Jaime. Before he could reveal this publicly, Lysa poisoned him on Littlefinger's orders to stop him from sending their son, Robert, away as a ward. Jon Arryn's death immediately precedes and directly prompts the story that begins in A Game of Thrones.
Lysa Arryn, formerly of House Tully, is the second child and youngest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully. Enamored of Petyr Baelish, Lysa resented her older sister Catelyn Tully when he fell in love with her. Prior to the series, while Baelish was her father's ward, Lysa was impregnated by him after Catelyn spurned him. Learning of this, Hoster sent Baelish home and tricked Lysa into drinking an abortifacient potion, using her unborn child as proof of her fertility while marrying her off to Jon Arryn. Lysa has become a paranoid, unstable, mercurial woman.
Shortly before A Game of Thrones, Baelish convinced Lysa to poison her husband and write a letter to Catelyn to name House Lannister responsible for the act. Lysa, fearing that her husband was sending her child to be fostered in a far-off land, agrees. Fearing for herself and her son's safety, Lysa returns to the Eyrie and becomes Lady Regent of the Vale of Arryn. At the Eyrie, Lysa becomes involved in Catelyn's kidnapping of Tyrion Lannister, then refuses House Stark's plea for assistance and commits the Vale to a strict policy of neutrality in the war. Lysa later accepts a marriage proposal from Baelish in A Storm of Swords. After finding Baelish kissing Sansa Stark, Lysa attempts to throw her to her death, but Baelish saves Sansa by murdering Lysa.
Robert Arryn, sometimes called "Sweetrobin", is the only child of Jon Arryn and Lysa Tully. He suffers from frequent seizure-like episodes, a symptom of what his mother terms the "shaking illness", and is depicted as intellectually and physically stunted. At the start of the series, he is Lord of the Eyrie and Defender of the Vale, though his mother rules as regent. After Lysa's marriage to Petyr Baelish and her subsequent death in A Storm of Swords, Baelish claims the rule of the Vale and guardianship of Robert. In the absence of his mother, he becomes attached to his cousin, Sansa Stark, in her disguise as Alayne Stone. In the Game Of Thrones television show, Robert Arryn's name is changed to Robin Arryn.
Vassals
Yohn Royce (sometimes called "Bronze Yohn") is Lord of Runestone and head of House Royce. After the death of Lysa Arryn, Lord Yohn forms the Lords Declarant in opposition to Petyr Baelish's rule of the Vale.
Lady Waynwood is the lady of Ironoaks and the head of House Waynwood, a powerful vassal to House Arryn of the Vale. Lady Anya is part of the Lords Declarant, who oppose Baelish's rule of the Vale.
Nestor is a cousin of Yohn Royce via a lesser branch of House Royce. He ruled the Eyrie as High Steward of the Vale during Jon Arryn's absence, acted as Keeper of the Gates of the Moon, and feels he is owed for his years of service. Littlefinger later makes him the hereditary Lord of the Gates of the Moon to keep him loyal, signing the paper declaring this, so that Nestor, holding the Gates, depends on Baelish's power.
House Greyjoy
House Greyjoy is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms in Martin's fictional universe and is the principal noble house on the Iron Islands, home to the Ironborn. Its seat is on Pyke. Its coat of arms displays a golden kraken on a black field, and its words are We Do Not Sow. Bastards born in the Iron Islands are given the surname "Pyke". The Greyjoys became Lords Paramount of the Iron Islands after House Targaryen conquered the Seven Kingdoms and allowed the Ironborn to choose who would have primacy over them. Balon Greyjoy is the current Lord of the Iron Islands. He has two surviving children: his only daughter, Asha, and Theon.
Family
Balon Greyjoy is the Lord of the Iron Islands, King of Salt and Rock, Son of the Sea Wind, and Lord Reaper of Pyke. He is a harsh and fierce man. Ten years before A Song of Ice and Fire, he led a rebellion against King Robert Baratheon. The rebellion failed, and his youngest son, Theon Greyjoy, was taken as a hostage and raised in Winterfell by Lord Eddard Stark. After Robert's death, Balon spurns Robb Stark's offer of an alliance in A Clash of Kings and declares himself King of the Iron Islands and the North. He captures the Neck and ravages the coastline of the Stark-held North. He dies in A Storm of Swords after falling off a bridge during a storm. The timely return of Balon's banished brother Euron leads many characters to believe that Euron played a part in Balon's death.
Asha Greyjoy is Balon Greyjoy's only daughter and oldest living child. She serves as the third-person narrator for four chapters throughout A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. Asha was raised as Balon's heir despite a custom forbidding female leadership, and has challenged traditional gender roles by captaining her own ship and leading men into battle. When Balon orders an invasion of the North in A Clash of Kings, she captures Deepwood Motte. She returns to the Islands in A Feast for Crows after her father's death and claims her father's throne, which she loses in favor of her uncle Euron. In A Dance with Dragons, she returns to Deepwood Motte and learns that Euron has married her off by proxy. She is eventually captured by Stannis Baratheon and travels with his army toward Winterfell, where she is reunited with her brother Theon.
Theon Greyjoy is the only living son and heir apparent of Balon Greyjoy. He is the third-person narrator for thirteen chapters throughout A Clash of Kings and A Dance with Dragons. He is arrogant and proud. Ten years before the events of the series, he was taken hostage by Ned Stark to be executed if Balon displeased the king. Theon was raised at Winterfell with the Stark children and became a close friend to Robb Stark in particular.
Euron Greyjoy is Balon's younger brother and is hated by all his brothers. He wears a patch over his left eye, for which he is nicknamed "Crow's Eye", and is more ruthless and sadistic than his brothers. Before the events of the series, he was banished from the Iron Islands. During his exile, he lived as a pirate, became extremely wealthy, and was drawn into dark magic, culminating in his gaining possession of a horn that can control dragons. In A Feast for Crows, Euron's return from exile coincides with Balon's death, encouraging speculation that he played a role in his brother's demise. After becoming King of the Iron Islands at a Kingsmoot by telling the Ironborn he knows where there are dragons and that he intends to conquer Westeros, he begins successful raids along the Reach. He sends his brother Victarion Greyjoy away to court Daenerys Targaryen in his name and bring her and her dragons to Westeros.
Servants and vassals
Rodrik Harlaw is the Lord of Harlaw, the most populated of the Iron Islands. He is the richest man in the Iron Islands and the maternal uncle of Asha Greyjoy, one of his sisters being Balon's wife. Rodrik is known as "The Reader" because of his love of reading. He has so many books that they have filled one of the Towers in his castle of Ten Towers. As both of Rodrik's sons died in the First Greyjoy Rebellion, his various relatives are vying to become his heir. Rodrik has nominated his cousin Ser Harras Harlaw as heir to Harlaw. After Balon's death, Rodrik agrees to support Asha at the Kingsmoot, but worries she will not get enough support and offers to make her heir to the Ten Towers. After Euron wins the Kingsmoot, Rodrik advises Asha to flee the Iron Islands, fearing Euron will kill her to prevent his rule being challenged. After capturing the Shield Islands, Euron makes Harras Lord of Greyshield to weaken Rodrik's power. Rodrik questions Euron's intent to conquer Westeros and claims to have sailed to Valyria, infuriating Euron.
Dagmer is the master-at-arms of House Greyjoy and captain of a longship called Foamdrinker. He is called "Cleftjaw" on account of a disfiguring axe-blow to his face. Despite being a commoner, he is infamous in the North. A descendant of a Greyjoy bastard a few generations back, he is one of the few Ironborn to show happiness at Theon's return. Theon, in turn, has fond memories of him—he notes that Dagmer has smiled at him more often than Balon and Eddard together. Dagmer accompanies Theon and Aeron in leaving the Stony Shore, leading a diversion against the Northern castle Torrhen's Square that allows Theon to capture Winterfell. In A Dance with Dragons, it is revealed that he holds Torrhen's Square with his crew.
Wex Pyke is the twelve-year-old bastard nephew of one of Balon's vassals. He is made Theon's squire. Wex is born mute, a fact that belies his cunning. He is among Theon's crew that captures Winterfell and the only one to survive when Ramsay sacks the castle. While hiding in the heart tree in the godswood, he sees Bran and Rickon flee with Osha and the Reed children. When Rickon and Osha split from the rest of the group, he follows them, learning that they have traveled to the supposedly savage Northern colonies on the island of Skagos. Eventually falling under Manderly control, Wex is able to communicate the location of Rickon as well as that Theon was not responsible for the sack of Winterfell to lords Wyman Manderly and Robett Glover. Glover has started teaching him to read and write to find the true culprit.
House Martell
In Martin's fictional world, House Martell is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the ruling house of the kingdom of Dorne. Its seat is the castle of Sunspear. Its coat of arms displays a gold spear piercing a red sun on an orange field, and its words are Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken. Bastards born in Dorne are generally given the surname "Sand". Dorne, along with House Martell, is culturally, ethnically, and politically distinct from the rest of the kingdoms. The rulers of Dorne are styled Prince or Princess because Dorne resisted direct conquest and joined the rest of the Seven Kingdoms through marriage.
House Martell was an Andal house established in Dorne during the Andal invasion, when they defeated the ruling First Men houses such as the Wades and the Shells. Nevertheless, they remained vassals to other monarchs, including those of Houses Jordayne, Allyrion, and Yronwood, while maintaining their own territorial holdings. The prominence of House Martell increased with the arrival of the Rhoynish warrior-queen Nymeria in Dorne, accompanied by the remnants of the Rhoynish people fleeing the destruction caused by the Valyrian Freehold during the Rhoynish Wars. Lord Mors Martell wed Nymeria and used their combined strength to subdue all his rivals and unify Dorne into one principality. Their marriage would also see the Martells adopt Rhoynish customs in place of Andal ones, with much of their civilization, such as the Spear Tower and the Tower of the Sun, built in Rhoynish fashion.
The Martells of Sunspear, along with Dorne, stood out in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros as the only realm to resist Aegon Targaryen's conquest. The Dornish used guerrilla warfare instead of fielding large armies—partly to avoid another Field of Fire—and hid in strong palaces to evade the Burning of Harrenhal. They attacked the Targaryen armies when the dragons were not in the sky and escaped whenever the dragons took flight. House Martell achieved a significant Dornish victory against the Targaryens by killing Meraxes and Queen Rhaenys with a scorpion.
Family
Doran Martell is the Prince of Dorne and the Lord of Sunspear. He is the father of Arianne, Quentyn, and Trystane Martell. By A Game of Thrones, he is in his fifties, and his gout leaves him barely able to walk and dependent on a wheeled chair. He is a cautious, pensive man who does not display his emotions. He swears loyalty to Joffrey only after Myrcella Baratheon is betrothed to Trystane by Tyrion Lannister, sending her off to Dorne. Tyrion also gives him a position on Joffrey's council. In A Storm of Swords, Doran sends his brother Oberyn to claim the position. After Oberyn's death, Doran refuses to start a war and returns to Sunspear to reassume control of his principality. He imprisons Oberyn's vengeful daughters, called the Sand Snakes (who have been calling for war for the death of their father), to maintain peace. After foiling his daughter Arianne's attempt to crown Myrcella the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, he reveals that he has long been planning the downfall of Tywin Lannister to avenge Elia and intends to ally Dorne with House Targaryen by sending Arianne and Quentyn to seek out Aegon "Young Griff" Targaryen and Daenerys Targaryen, respectively.
Arianne Martell is the eldest child of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne and heir to Sunspear. She serves as the third-person narrator for two chapters in A Feast for Crows, and will be the narrator for at least two chapters in The Winds of Winter. She is cunning and beautiful and is also close with her cousins, the Sand Snakes. By A Feast for Crows, she is dissatisfied with her father, believing him to be weak. She plans to name Myrcella Baratheon the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, as by Dornish law Myrcella inherits the title over her brother. Arianne seduces Arys Oakheart to win his support of Myrcella's claim. The plot is foiled, and Myrcella is wounded in the kidnapping attempt. As Arianne confronts Doran after he foils her plans, her father reveals that he has been plotting revenge on Tywin Lannister for many years and was waiting for the perfect time to strike. After the Golden Company invades Westeros, Doran sends Arianne to find out the truth about Aegon Targaryen. Her fate is unknown.
Ser Quentyn Martell is the second child and oldest son of Doran Martell. He serves as the third-person narrator for four chapters in A Dance with Dragons. He is described as intelligent, serious, and dutiful, though not particularly handsome. In A Dance with Dragons, it is revealed that Doran Martell sent Quentyn to marry Daenerys Targaryen and bring her to Dorne. On the way, most of Quentyn's companions die. He and his remaining two friends, Archibald Yronwood and Gerris Drinkwater, are forced to become sellswords to reach Slaver's Bay. Daenerys politely refuses the offer. Not wanting to leave empty-handed, Quentyn tries to take one of Daenerys's dragons as a mount to impress her, but is killed by her dragons in front of his guards.
Servants
Areo Hotah is the captain of Prince Doran Martell's guards. He serves as the third-person narrator for two chapters throughout A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. He was born as the youngest of a large family in Norvos. Areo is steadfastly loyal to Doran. He helps foil Arianne Martell's plot to name Myrcella Baratheon the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, killing Arys Oakheart in the process.
House Tully
House Tully is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the principal house in the Riverlands. Its seat is at Riverrun. Its coat of arms displays a leaping silver trout on a field of rippling blue and red stripes, and its words are Family, Duty, Honor. Bastards born in the Riverlands are generally given the surname "Rivers". When House Targaryen invaded Westeros, Lord Tully was among the first to welcome the invaders. In return, the Targaryens made House Tully the principal house of the Riverlands.
Family
Hoster Tully is the Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident. He is the father of Catelyn Stark, Lysa Arryn, and Edmure Tully. He often quarrels with his brother Brynden because Brynden refuses to be married. Years before the events of the series, he agreed to foster Petyr Baelish at Riverrun as a ward. When he discovered that Lysa was pregnant with Petyr's child, he sent Petyr away and tricked Lysa into drinking an abortifacient potion. Hoster supported Robert Baratheon, House Stark, and House Arryn in the rebellion against House Targaryen on the condition that Catelyn and Lysa be wed into the Stark and Arryn families, respectively. His health deteriorates rapidly over the novels; he eventually dies and is laid to rest in the river following the Tully tradition.
Minisa Tully was the Lady of Riverrun. She is the mother of Catelyn Stark, a major point-of-view character in the first three novels. Minisa is also the mother of Catelyn's two older brothers, who died in infancy, and later Lysa Arryn, two years after Catelyn.
Many years later, she finally gave birth to a son and male heir: Edmure Tully, her fifth-born child and the first son to survive infancy. This meant that Catelyn was no longer Hoster's heir. She died from childbirth complications with her sixth child, Edmure's younger brother, over a decade before the beginning of the novels.
Edmure Tully is the fifth child, only living son, and heir of Lord Hoster Tully at the beginning of A Game of Thrones (1996). He is dutiful and wishes to earn his father's respect and protect the common people of the Riverlands. However, he is also said to have a large heart, and his decisions are often rash and emotional. He takes command of the Riverlands in A Game of Thrones because of his father's illness and is taken captive by Jaime Lannister. He is rescued by his nephew Robb Stark, and upon hearing of Eddard Stark's death, he leads the Riverlands lords in proclaiming Robb the King in the North. He defeats Tywin Lannister's right-hand man, Gregor Clegane ("the Mountain"), in battle and unwittingly ruins Robb's plan to destroy Tywin's army. As amends for thwarting Robb's plan, he agrees to marry Roslin Frey and repair the alliance with House Frey. The wedding is a trap, and the Stark–Tully army is massacred, thereby breaching ancient guest rights. Edmure is taken to Casterly Rock, where he and the remaining members of House Tully are to spend the rest of their lives as prisoners to House Lannister. Roslin is to remain at the Twins, and the pair is promised to be reunited after the birth of their child.
Vassals
Vassals under House Tully include House Blackwood of Raventree Hall, House Bracken of Stone Hedge, House Darry of Castle Darry, House Mallister of Seagard, House Piper of Pinkmaiden, House Ryger of Willow Wood, House Frey of the Crossing, and House Mooten of Maidenpool. The Lords of Harrenhal are also historically vassals to the Lords Tully.
Walder Frey is Lord of the Twins, and a vassal to House Tully. He is called the Lord of the Crossing as the placement of his castle allows him to control who crosses the river, giving Walder Frey considerable strategic importance. He is known for having over a hundred descendants from his eight wives. He emphasizes family loyalty and believes in taking care of relations, including those who disappoint him. Although he is a bannerman of House Tully, he did not arrive at the Battle of the Trident during Robert's Rebellion until it was almost over (leading to him being referred to derogatorily as the "Late Walder Frey"). He also does not immediately go to Riverrun when Edmure Tully summons his vassals to support Robb Stark in A Game of Thrones.
Since crossing the Twins is a necessity for Robb, Walder is able to negotiate marriage contracts between his house and House Stark. When Robb marries Jeyne Westerling in A Clash of Kings, Frey is outraged and withdraws his support from Robb to conspire with Tywin Lannister and Roose Bolton to exact revenge. In A Storm of Swords, Walder pretends to make amends with Robb and agrees to marry his daughter Roslin to Edmure. The wedding is a trap, with Robb, his key supporters, and most of his army massacred during the feast, a direct violation of ancient guest right customs, in what becomes known as the Red Wedding. He then swears loyalty to House Lannister and his second son Emmon Frey receives Riverrun, the seat of House Tully, as a reward, with advantageous marriages for other descendants. The people of the Riverlands refuse to support his rule, and a shadowy guerrilla war erupts that Walder Frey struggles to control, with numerous Freys and allies being hanged by the Brotherhood without Banners or killed by those who want vengeance. House Frey is so large and factional that many of the Freys hate each other, aspiring to become Lord of the Crossing.
House Tyrell
House Tyrell is described as one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms and is the principal noble house in the Reach. Its seat is at Highgarden where they reside as the Wardens of the South. Its coat of arms displays a golden rose on a green field, and its words are Growing Strong. Bastards born in the Reach are generally given the surname "Flowers". When the former rulers of the Reach, House Gardener, were killed in battle against House Targaryen, the Targaryens raised the Tyrells from stewards of Highgarden to Lords of Highgarden. Because House Florent had a better claim to Highgarden, the Tyrells are often seen as "upjumped stewards" by the lords of the Reach and other Great Houses; however, the women of the Tyrell household are noted for being shrewd and clever leaders.
Family
Lord Mace Tyrell is the Lord of Highgarden, Defender of the Marches, High Marshal of the Reach, and Warden of the South. He has three sons—Willas, Garlan, and Loras—and one daughter, Margaery. He is described as a prematurely old and tedious man who lacks in political savvy and is thought to serve as the figurehead to his mother, Olenna. In A Clash of Kings, he supports the marriage between Margaery and Renly Baratheon, who plans to usurp the throne of the Seven Kingdoms. When Renly dies, Mace accepts an offer to marry Margaery to Joffrey Baratheon, the current king. After his and Tywin's armies defeat Stannis Baratheon, Mace is given a seat on the King's council. After Cersei's downfall, Kevan Lannister, Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, names Mace his Hand, mostly to repair the relationship between their houses. Mace then tries to fill the Small Council with his vassals, greedy for more power.
Lady Alerie Tyrell, née Hightower, is the Lady of Highgarden and the wife of Mace Tyrell. Her younger sister, Lynesse is the estranged second wife of Jorah Mormont of Bear Island. She is tall with long silver hair, and joins Margaery's entourage to King's Landing upon her betrothal to King Joffrey Baratheon. Following Tywin Lannister's funeral, she leaves the capital with her son Garlan.
Lord Willas Tyrell is the heir of Highgarden and the eldest child of Mace Tyrell and Alerie Hightower. He is crippled with a bad leg following an accident in a tourney he entered into as a young man. His competitor was Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne. In the book series, he is described as intelligent, studious, educated, and kind, and is renowned for breeding the finest hawks, hounds, and horses in the Seven Kingdoms.
He is briefly betrothed to Sansa Stark, until she is forced to marry Tyrion Lannister. Prior to this, Arianne Martell attempted to travel to Highgarden to marry Willas, but was stopped by Oberyn.
Ser Garlan Tyrell is the secondborn son of Mace Tyrell and Alerie Hightower. He is married to Leonette Fossoway, and is a knight.
Garlan is often referred to as Garlan the Gallant, a name given to him by his older brother, Willas, in Garlan's youth. Garlan was overweight as a child and Willas wanted to give him a noble moniker before he earned a less-flattering one.
Vassals
Randyll Tarly is the head of House Tarly, bannerman of House Tyrell, and considered to be one of the finest military commanders in Westeros. He is also the father of Samwell Tarly, whom he believes to be an embarrassment. When word of the imprisonment of Margaery Tyrell reaches Randyll, he marches his army to King's Landing, where Kevan Lannister makes him the new Master of Laws.
The North
Night's Watch
The Night's Watch is a sworn brotherhood of men who patrol the Wall. The individual "Brothers of the Watch" (called "Crows" by the wildings) reject land and titles, practice celibacy, cut ties to their families, assume neutrality in politics, and never desert their assignments, on pain of death. Joining the Watch is still considered an honor because any man can rise through the ranks regardless of illegitimacy or criminal past. However, in the first book, the Watch is severely undermanned. The Watch is based at Castle Black, where the Lord Commander of the Watch resides and new recruits are trained.
Jeor Mormont, called the Old Bear, is the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. He was the Lord of Bear Island in the North but joined the Watch to pass the title to his son, Jorah Mormont. Mormont is considered a strong, resolute leader and commands respect. He keeps a raven capable of speaking simple phrases as a pet. In A Game of Thrones, he chooses Jon Snow as his steward and potential successor. Soon afterwards, a wight (a dead body reanimated by the Others) attempts to kill him, but Jon kills it. In gratitude, Mormont gives Jon his ancestral sword, Longclaw, and changes its pommel to a wolf's head, in accordance with the House Stark sigil. To investigate the return of wights, the disappearance of several Rangers, and rumors of a Wildling army, Jeor leads an expedition beyond the Wall in A Clash of Kings. His force is annihilated by Others and an army of wights in A Storm of Swords. He leads the survivors to Craster's Keep, where he is killed in a mutiny.
Aemon Targaryen is the older brother of Aegon V, the third son of Maekar I, and a member of the Night's Watch. Decades before the events of A Game of Thrones, he was sent to the Citadel in Oldtown on the orders of his grandfather, Daeron II, who felt there were too many Targaryens, and became a Maester (one of an order of scholars and healers). He was later offered the throne of the Seven Kingdoms after the death of his father Maekar, but ceded the rule to Aegon and joined the Night's Watch. This allowed him to survive the overthrow and purge of his family in Robert's Rebellion. By the time of A Game of Thrones, he is elderly and blind, but he provides guidance to the men at Castle Black and is greatly respected within the Night's Watch. In A Feast for Crows, Jon Snow sends him to the Citadel by sea, but Maester Aemon catches a fever during a storm and dies on the voyage between Braavos and Oldtown.
Yoren is a recruiter of the Night's Watch. In A Game of Thrones, Yoren travels with Tyrion Lannister from the Wall to King's Landing and is present when Tyrion is arrested by Catelyn Stark. He then races to King's Landing to inform Eddard Stark. During Lord Eddard's execution, he finds Arya Stark and shields her from seeing her father's death. In A Clash of Kings he disguises Arya as a boy recruit to smuggle her to Winterfell, but is killed by Lannister soldiers.
Free Folk
Wildlings, also called Free Folk, are people who live beyond the Wall. They live in independent villages and have no central government. Bands of wildlings often cross the Wall for plunder. In A Storm of Swords, the wildlings unite under Mance Rayder, the self-styled "King-beyond-the-Wall", and invade the Seven Kingdoms to escape the return of the Others. With the help of Jon and Stannis Baratheon, they settle in the North. Many move into the abandoned castles to defend the Wall.
Mance Rayder is a former member of the Night's Watch who deserted. Since then, he has become known as "King-beyond-the-Wall". In A Storm of Swords, he unites all the wildlings under his command and leads them to attack the Wall from the south, trying to guide his people to safety from the advancing White Walkers. His vanguard is defeated by Jon Snow at the Wall. During a parlay with Jon, Stannis Baratheon and his army rout the wildlings, and Mance is taken prisoner. Stannis orders Mance to be burned alive in A Dance with Dragons, but Jon later discovers that the priestess Melisandre used magic to disguise Rayder as the wildling who was burned in his place, escaping execution. Jon orders Mance to rescue Arya Stark, not knowing the girl is actually Jeyne Poole. In Winterfell, the party secretly kills off several of Roose Bolton's men, creating tension in Winterfell, and enlists the help of Theon Greyjoy to smuggle Jeyne out of the castle, but Mance is forced to stay behind. Ramsay Bolton later sends a letter to Jon claiming that he has captured Mance and is holding him prisoner.
Ygritte () is a wildling spearwife renowned for her fierce and headstrong nature and considered by many wildlings to be beautiful due to her exceptionally red hair. However, Jon Snow considers her rather plain-looking. Ygritte first encounters Jon in A Clash of Kings, when she and her band of three wildling scouts are surprise-attacked by a group of Night's Watch rangers led by the famed Qhorin Halfhand, among whom is a young recruit, Jon Snow. Most of her band is killed, and she is personally captured by Jon, but Jon refuses the order to execute Ygritte because of her gender, and later releases her in secret. She rejoins the wildlings and is present when Rattleshirt traps Qhorin and Jon in a cave, resulting in Jon feigning surrender by killing Qhorin. Ygritte speaks up for Jon when other wildlings raise suspicion towards Jon, and again when Mance Rayder doubts Jon's sincerity since he did not inform the wildlings of Lord Commander Mormont's ranging. Ygritte voluntarily transfers to Tormund Giantsbane's group to stay with Jon, and they begin a sexual relationship as the wildling raiders attached to Thenn leader Styr are sent to scale over the Wall on Mance's orders, aiming to attack Castle Black from the rear. Ygritte continues to defend Jon, but when Jon defects at Queenscrown to return to the Night's Watch, she shoots Jon in the calf with an arrow on the run. Ygritte later participates in Styr's attack on Castle Black, and is fatally shot in the chest by an arrow in the ensuing battle and dies in Jon's arms.
King's Landing
The Royal Court at King's Landing is mostly composed of the King's Small Council and his Kingsguard, the seven knights sworn to protect the king and his family. All members of the Small Council, except for the Grand Maester, are appointed and dismissed by the king or The Hand.
Small Council
Lord Petyr Baelish, called Littlefinger, held power as the Master of Coin, the treasurer of the Seven Kingdoms. Petyr names himself Lord Protector of the Vale following the death of his wife, Lysa Arryn.
Varys, called the Spider, is a eunuch who serves as Master of Whisperers, the spymaster for the king of the Seven Kingdoms. He is feared by nobles and common people alike. He is described as bald and fat, and he usually affects a fawning, effeminate manner. He knows all of the secret passages in the royal castle and his spies are found everywhere.
Pycelle is an elderly Maester, who for decades has served many kings as Grand Maester, the personal healer and scholar of the king. Although he is intelligent and highly educated, his effectiveness as an officer of the court has been dulled by his age. He is secretly an agent of influence for House Lannister: he convinced King Aerys II Targaryen to open the gates for Tywin Lannister during Robert's rebellion, he allowed Jon Arryn to die to keep the true parentage of Cersei Lannister's children secret, and would have killed King Robert Baratheon upon Cersei's command. Upon learning this, Tyrion Lannister has Pycelle removed from office and imprisoned. In A Storm of Swords, he is restored to his position. He objects to Queen Regent Cersei's decisions throughout A Feast for Crows, and she considers replacing him. When Cersei is arrested, Pycelle seizes control of the king's council and offers Kevan Lannister the regency. Together, they begin restoring order to the Seven Kingdoms. Pycelle is killed by Varys, who believes that he and Kevan's competent leadership threaten a Targaryen restoration.
Qyburn is a former Maester who lost his chain for unethical experiments. He is also rumored to dabble in necromancy. In A Clash of Kings, he is a member of the Brave Companions mercenary company. He later leaves the company in A Feast for Crows and joins the court in King's Landing. Queen Cersei Lannister allows him to experiment on the mortally wounded Gregor Clegane, presumably transforming Clegane into the monstrous Kingsguard knight, Ser Robert Strong.
Kingsguard
Ser Barristan Selmy, called Barristan the Bold, is hailed as a hero throughout Westeros and is the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. He serves as the third-person narrator for four chapters in A Dance with Dragons. Although he is over sixty years old at the start of the series, he remains a remarkable fighter and is the most celebrated and respected living knight. He has been a member of the Kingsguard for most of his life and served three kings. He remained loyal to House Targaryen during Robert Baratheon's rebellion, but he later accepted Robert's pardon and held his position as commander. Upon Joffrey's succession, Ser Barristan is sent into retirement, which he sees as a disgrace. In A Clash of Kings, he begins serving the exiled princess Daenerys Targaryen and later exposes Ser Jorah Mormont, Daenerys's most trusted adviser, as a former spy for King Robert. When Daenerys disappears in A Dance with Dragons, he becomes a POV narrator and launches a coup against her husband. He then reluctantly rules Meereen in her stead under the title the Queen's Hand until she returns.
Ser Arys Oakheart is a knight of King Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard, and for Robert's subsequent heirs. He serves as the third-person narrator for one chapter in A Feast for Crows. Arys accompanies Myrcella Baratheon to Dorne, where he is seduced by Arianne Martell. Together, they plot to place Myrcella on the throne. After the plot is foiled, Arys is killed.
Ser Meryn Trant is a member of the kingsguard under King Robert Baratheon, King Joffrey Baratheon and King Tommen Baratheon.
When Joffrey tells Sansa of his plan to behead Robb Stark, she defies him by wishing to see his own head mounted there, for which Joffrey has Trant slap her. Along with the City Watch, he also murders King Robert's illegitimate children. When the Lannisters send their guards to capture Arya Stark, Trant kills Syrio Forel, her fencing instructor, who protects Arya despite only being armed with a wooden training sword, as a result Trant is one of the names on Arya Stark's list.
Ser Balon Swann is the second son of Lord Gulian Swann. He is said to be skilled with the lance, Morningstar, and bow and arrow. He is made a Kingsguard after the death of Ser Preston Greenfield, which Tyrion Lannister approves of. During the Battle of the Blackwater, he fights valiantly against the forces of Stannis Baratheon. In A Feast For Crows, Cersei Lannister sends him to Dorne with the skull of Gregor Clegane, which he gives to Doran Martell. Doran later informs the Sand Snakes and Arianne Martell of Balon's involvement in a plan by Cersei to kill Trystane Martell and frame Tyrion. After learning of the attempted murder of Princess Myrcella, Balon leaves to chase Darkstar, the man who made the attempt on Myrcella's life.
Others
Ser Ilyn Payne is the King's Justice, the royal executioner. Before the events of the series, King Aerys II Targaryen ordered his tongue cut out. He is a skilled headsman, seldom requiring a second stroke to finish his charges. Ilyn executes Lord Stark after his downfall. He serves as Jaime's sparring partner in A Feast for Crows.
The High Sparrow is a prominent member of the "sparrows", a religious movement formed during the War of the Five Kings, and is a member of the Faith of the Seven.
Other characters
Westeros
Syrio Forel is the former First Sword of Braavos and a master of the Braavosi fighting style known as "water dancing". He instructs Arya in the ways of fencing. When the Lannisters send their guards to capture Arya, Syrio is killed by Meryn Trant, but not before Syrio dispatches all of the Lannister soldiers with no more than a wooden teaching sword, shattering knee caps and stabbing out eyes, so that Arya can escape.
Thoros is a red priest of R'hllor from the city of Myr. Before the events of the series, he was sent to King's Landing to convert King Aerys II Targaryen into a follower of R'hllor. He was unsuccessful and began to question his faith. When Robert Baratheon became king, Thoros became a frequent drinking companion of Robert's. He is a formidable fighter known for using a flaming sword. In A Game of Thrones, he is sent with Beric Dondarrion to arrest Gregor Clegane. When Dondarrion is killed, Thoros inadvertently resurrects him during the funeral service. By A Storm of Swords, the two had founded a band of outlaws called the Brotherhood Without Banners to stop the raiders ravaging the Riverlands. Thoros is continually able to resurrect Dondarrion whenever he is killed. When Lady Stoneheart takes leadership of the Brotherhood in A Feast for Crows, he does not dispute her, although he disapproves of her motives and methods.
Meribald is a septon of the Riverlands. He guides Brienne of Tarth to the Quiet Isle to meet the Elder Brother.
Septa Unella is a member of the Most Devout, the ruling council of the Faith of the Seven. Unella is the septa who forces Cersei Lannister to admit her crimes to her in A Feast for Crows.
Essos
Drogo is a powerful khal, or warlord, of the Dothraki people, a tribal nation of horse riders in the steppes beyond the Free Cities. He is an accomplished warrior and has never been defeated in battle. Hoping to gain his support to invade Westeros, Viserys Targaryen and Illyrio Mopatis arrange for Drogo to marry Daenerys Targaryen. After a tense wedding night, her growing sexual prowess and self-esteem ultimately results in him falling in love with her, proving himself as a kind husband. Drogo also does not support Viserys' scheme to march on Westeros, eventually executing him after he threatens to kill Daenerys and their unborn child. After a failed attempt on her life by one of Robert Baratheon's spies, Drogo decides to lead his horde to conquer Westeros. However, during a battle, he receives an injury that eventually develops into sepsis. In a desperate attempt to save his life, Daenerys asks one of their captured slaves to revive him with blood magic, unwittingly sacrificing their unborn child during the ritual. However, Drogo is left in a catatonic state, unable to move, speak or lead their horde to Westeros. Heartbroken, Daenerys smothers Drogo and uses his funeral pyre to awaken her dragons. She names her favorite Dragon in his name.
Jaqen H'ghar is an alias used by a member of the Faceless Men, a society of assassins who follow a personification of death known as the Many-Faced God. In A Clash of Kings, this Faceless Man is posing as a Lorathi criminal from the black cells of the Red Keep given to Yoren's convoy to join the Night's Watch. During the journey, he was locked in a wagon cage along with two other criminals, called Rorge and Biter. He later meets Arya Stark, who frees him and the two others when the group is attacked by Lannister forces commanded by Amory Lorch. In gratitude, he promises to kill for Arya any three people she names. After Arya extorts him by naming him as the third name, Jaqen reluctantly agrees to help her stage a prison riot in Harrenhal that overwhelms the Lannister garrison and frees the northern prisoners. Jaqen offers to take Arya with him to Braavos but when she demurs, he gives her a Braavosi iron coin and instructs her to say "valar morghulis" to any Braavosi people should she need help finding him. Before leaving her Jaqen magically changes his face in front of Arya.
Later in A Feast for Crows, an alchemist with features identical to Jaqen's after the face change appears in Oldtown and bribes a Citadel novice named Pate to steal Archmaester Walgrave's keys (which can gain access to any door in Citadel). After Pate completes the trade, he dies of poison. Pate (with a completely different personality) later appears to greet Samwell Tarly when he meets Archmaester Marwyn.
Animals
Direwolves are a canine species closely related to wolves but are much larger and stronger. Fully grown direwolves are described as being as large as ponies, with longer legs and larger heads. They are described to be highly intelligent, even fully capable of understanding human speech. Direwolves are thought extinct south of the Wall. However, at the start of the series, Robb Stark and Jon Snow discover six orphaned direwolf pups, whom each of the Stark children adopt. It is heavily implied that the wolves cause each of their owners to develop skinchanging abilities, provided they survive. By A Dance with Dragons, only four of the original six remain: Ghost, Nymeria, Summer and Shaggydog (owned by Jon, Arya, Bran and Rickon, respectively).
Grey Wind is Robb Stark's male direwolf, named for its swift speed. He accompanies Robb on his campaign against the Lannisters and often fights alongside him in the War of the Five Kings. Upon arrival at the Twins for the Wedding of Robb's uncle Edmure Tully and Roslyn Frey, Grey Wind antagonizes the Frey envoys, leading him to be locked up in the kennels. During the Red Wedding, Grey Wind is released by Raynald Westerling and he fights against the attacking Freys, including the kennelmaster. However, he is eventually killed by crossbows, while his savior falls into the Green Fork trying to escape. As a mockery of their relationship, the Freys sew Grey Wind's head onto Robb's mutilated body.
Ghost is Jon Snow's male direwolf, named due to it being albino and its silent nature. Ghost is born the runt of the litter but later grows into the largest of the six Stark direwolves. He accompanies Jon to Castle Black and assists him during his time at the Night's Watch. Jon Snow regularly wargs into Ghost's body during sleep and is capable of sensing the status of the other sibling direwolves. After behaving aggressively towards several men of the Night's Watch, including Bowen Marsh and a wildling skinchanger, Jon has Ghost locked up in his quarters. However, Ghost's instincts prove to be correct, as Marsh leads a mutiny against Jon.
Lady is Sansa Stark's female direwolf, named due to it being the smallest and prettiest of the pups. After an incident on the Kingsroad when Nymeria bites Joffrey, Cersei demands that Lady be killed in her place when they cannot find her littermate. Despite his objections, Ned Stark obeys the king's order but kills Lady personally. Rather than let Cersei have her skin, he sends men to bring her body back north.